The winter season is slowly creeping upon us and that means preparing our cattle for the harsh negative temperatures that come with it in North Dakota. Luckily, our cattle will have a chance to acclimate to the depth of winter before our drinkers freeze up. It is still recommended to make plans to reduce future bouts of cold stress as the winter continues.

Lower critical temperature is the lower limit of the comfort zone temperature, where livestock will begin to experience cold stress. Many factors will affect the animal’s lower critical temperature tolerance, including the thickness of hide and haircoat, whether the animals are wet or dry, their age and stage of production, and body condition. Generally, a lower critical temperature of 18F is used for livestock with dry, heavy coats but -6F and calm conditions have been used for well-acclimated animals.

When cattle get cold stressed, they will change their behavior such as seeking shelter to avoid the cold. As temperatures decline past the lower critical temperature, cattle nutrition requirements begin to rise. We also look at an increase in illness throughout the herd. Some of these illnesses to be prepared for include hypothermia and due to the stress, cattle can have an inflammatory reaction and have digestive upsets, resulting in reduced consumption and fluctuating pH levels in the rumen and intestinal tract that can cause diarrhea. Additionally, teats, testes, and ears are prone to frostbite. As most farmers would tell you, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cold-stressed cattle.

Key management factors to limit the effects of cold stress include monitoring the weather, protecting the cattle from the wind, having proper bedding, keeping the cows clean and dry, and providing additional feed and water. We can’t control the weather but we can do everything reasonably possible to reduce the effects of cold on cows. This will help reduce costs and improve production efficiency.